


the world's against him (so let's be against the world)

by epitomes



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Bad Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Fluff, Protective Older Brothers, Protective Sam | Awesamdude, Protective Siblings, Protective Wilbur Soot, Resurrected Wilbur Soot, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Sam | Awesamdude and TommyInnit are Found Family, Sibling Rivalry?, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, his brothers are more than willing, no beta we die like lmanberg, phil is a bad dad to tommy, tommy has good adult figures in his life, tommy needs a family, wilbur and sam are ready to attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:41:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29041050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epitomes/pseuds/epitomes
Summary: wilbur and sam are aware of this silent competition they have over the kid and there’s no telling when they will stop going above and beyond to make the boy happier than the other does. one thing that they will always agree on though, is that they have that one common goal, a goal that requires them to set aside their pride.that was making sure the fuckers that dared to even lay a finger on the boy would not get away with it so lightly anymore.(and oh boy, phil doesn't realize it but he really had fucked up now.)
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Sam | Awesamdude & TommyInnit, Sam | Awesamdude & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 42
Kudos: 1324





	the world's against him (so let's be against the world)

**Author's Note:**

> basically, wilbur and sam's dynamic here is just: the enemy of my enemy is my friend

dinner wasn't the usual in the cold evening at sam's base far away from most of civilization. a certainly unusual guest who blabbered on and on, (who surprisingly wasn't tommy,) made the night louder than it usually was which in retrospect, wasn't really anything new to any of them. as a result of all the talking being done, their food still sits on their plates unfinished, only indicating how long this night would drag out. they had an especially weird combination of people at the table today, one you would never expect to see but there they were.

"so i plan that we build off a little home to the side— i am completely homeless right now which is a perfect opportunity to find newer scenery, don't you think? oh and you could have your own part of the house, toms!" wilbur suggests excitedly to his brother as he feels more alive than ever, in a metaphorical and literal sense. it's only been a week and a few days since he's been back and he had been sticking with tommy for most of it, which the kid was shockingly okay with. it wasn't like before when the days were much simpler and things weren't as complicated or broken but it was still a start no matter what. and this time wilbur will make sure to stick around until the end.

contrary to that excitement, sam squints his eye at the visitor seated in front of him on the dining table, how he practically made himself at home with no manners at all. tommy was a different case, though he does realize his hypocrisy knowing how tommy was the first day he had let him unofficially move in. he couldn't and didn't really even complained about the boy's mannerisms at all. the day he slowly filled his base with his stuff and things that made it look less like a vault, he was relieved tommy was there. he brought importance and sentiment to places, things and pets. all sam really came home to was fran and a base he built— that only really stood for the textbook definition of safety, and it never really occurred to him to call it his real home— until tommy had come along and changed that.

so it confused him in the beginning, how someone who had shown other people what it meant to have something you cherish and protected, could be compared to monsters and horrendous things. and so at nights he wonders if that was it all along, the more spirit you had to fight for something, the stronger your emotions are over something that is important to you, that's what makes you powerful. tommy wasn't powerless— he lacked resources and the will to grind for it— but he was powerful for his stubbornness, for his will to fight for what he stood for.

and sam wasn't blind or forgetful. he remembers tommy when he had been exiled with his brother. how he offered help but laid off because he had trust that wilbur was there for the teen, knowing how the tragedy of losing the rights to see his friends or home must be different for him, but then wilbur let's him down.

sam wouldn't have done that. he doesn't understand how you could do that to someone with the same blood that runs through your very veins, how you could ask them to commit to something even if it put your last breath on the line and how that very person could be the one to give up so easily, to let go of what he stood for and what he asked a kid to fight for. in his mind, wilbur will always be a sad and cowardly hero that fell into despair. so he swears he'll be better, not only for himself but for impressionable kids like tommy. he wouldn't be like any of the other adults that come and go in tommy's life and now was the time he makes sure of it. he'll do whatever it takes to make sure the boy is safe, that he puts his trust in the right people, and if that meant putting up walls for both of them? then so be it.

"we're actually pretty busy tomorrow."

wilbur turns his eyes away from his brother, squinting his eyes back at him, "and with what exactly?"

"the hotel's construction."

oh bull fucking shit.

wilbur could sense a liar when he sees one and that response right there was as easy to read as the english alphabet.

at first, he was shocked to see him having any company other than tubbo. it definitely wasn't expected that he had to halt outside oak fences that surrounded tommy and the familiar stranger, even more, when his brother willingly stepped behind him when wilbur tried to get near him the first day he was resurrected. the way he'd look at sam when he asks if he wanted to take a walk or talk in private, his brother had trusted this man. a man whom he learns doesn't get into conflicts nor drags kids into them, a man who genuinely had done all good for tommy and helped him more than anyone else. so to say wilbur was annoyed would be an understatement. 

all sorts of things filled up in his chest when he would spot them over by the project they always worked on. he felt disappointed in himself, seeing images of how there was once a time where he didn't let tommy down, where he not only took care of himself but tommy as well. he felt regret over the things he's done as if it comes haunting him every night when he falls asleep, his voice that echoed inside the caves while he constantly repeats this cutthroat words. and most importantly he was afraid, fearing that this man that swooped in as some kind of hero might've replaced him in tommy's life as his protector— his brother— if he had never come back.

so he most certainly wasn't going down without a fight. no matter how annoyed or how many kinds of excuses sam pulled to get tommy out of any kinds of interactions with him he had been stubborn and determined. he wasn't just allowing his little brother to slip away from him slowly, he wasn't going to be like their father. he had been so ready to dance with death that he completely disregards the fact that the last song hasn't even finished playing. he really did have an unfinished symphony and for the longest time, he thought it's all just about this nation he created, when in reality it was for his brother. and even if he has to come back from the dead once, twice, or thrice— or until his fingers can't even count it anymore— he'll do whatever it takes for him to mend things with his brother.

and so when he the day finally comes where he makes tommy laugh the hardest and their bickering finally doesn't end in them opening up old wounds from the depths of a forgotten ravine, then will he only accept that it was worth it to come back. so whenever tommy's ready to open up again he'll be there to be the brother tommy had once before. so call him desperate or annoying but he wasn't letting another chance of a day with tommy slip away from his hands this easily.

"there it is again,” he rolls eyes, "that hotel isn't as important as building our hou—"

"your house.” sam interjects, “it's your house, wilbur. so i'm sure it isn't as important as the construction of a building that's actually going to be owned by tommy himself."

wilbur smiles mockingly, "i'm pretty sure you know sam, that living with family is not an unknown concept, nor is adjusting schedules from time to time." 

"no, yeah you're right," the latter nods, "but i'm considered family too, wilbur. look around and you'll see that tommy's made himself home here. we shouldn't hassle him more, should we not? i mean he's got a lot on his plate already."

both of their faces darken as the air shifts, both of them giving up on the little facade of respectfulness and maturity they playoff. it's fascinating how different yet similar what they yearn for are, one being granted with the title of being family but messing it up and works for redemption and the other doing everything the best of his abilities in hopes to be someone important to him but most importantly is that despite everything they would go through, there will always be a tommy considered in the picture. that's how much they cared and loved the kid.

he needed someone to fight for him, he was worthy of someone fighting for him.

"sure tommy wouldn't rather spend quality time with his brother whom he hasn't caught up with fully yet since all he does is do boring chores for that damn hotel? oh, wait he doesn't even get the fucking chance to because apparently all you do is get in the way, don't you?"

"i'm sure after lurking around the construction site so often you'd see that he doesn't have a problem building that 'damn' hotel with me. i make sure he's fine with it because i care about the boy, so i can assure you that i've done a damn good job at taking care of him while you were gone."

"oh have you?" sarcasm laces through the brit's words as he's so very close to losing control over the words that leave his tongue, same goes with his fist that he thinks would land really nicely on the face of the man in front of him.

"yeah," sam retorts curtly. did wilbur really want to start this with him? because he really did intend to hold back and be mature but sometimes he really just feels the need to let bastards like him know that he wasn't just a side character— not in tommy's life that is.

"amazing thing happened today too," he starts, grinning at the words that he's been waiting so long for wilbur to hear. "tommy had called me his brother a few days ago, a slip of the tongue i presume but with time i think it'll grow on him, don't you?"

if wilbur had something holding him back from landing a punch on him before, he's completely forgotten now. other than to hear tommy call him that again he wants nothing more than to wipe the stupid grin on the man's face because oh was this green fucker getting on his nerves.

"ah i see." sam smiles even more at the strained answer, "he calls you brother now does he?"

"yeah, i just thought you should know seeing as you are biological brothers y'know—" his eyes widen dramatically with fake pity, "oh, sorry. i forgot he probably isn't that comfortable with that endearment with you yet after the whole thing in pogtopia. that was insensitive of me." 

funny how he wasn't sorry at all. funny how they both knew.

"too bad it would always be just between that little contract of yours, right? that's what tommy believes is your reason for being this way to him?"

wilbur knew that was the last straw, the final nail to the coffin. if sam thought before that he couldn't get more thrilled with little slip up from tommy that eventually became a normal thing he's proved his past self wrong, he's overjoyed with the look on wilbur's face, happy with the reaction he's gotten out of him but wilbur finds a weakness to him too. they both do and something about it makes them wants to try harder, to be better.

before sam or wilbur could start a new rebuttal, however, they hear harsh scratching on a plate, and they finally look over to tommy who hasn't even taken a bite of his food, dazed as he stares at his plate.

from what the two adults could see tommy wasn't even paying any bit of attention to their argument, providing a good explanation as to why the two couldn't hold back with raising their voice with each other because it had always been a silent agreement that they never do this in front of tommy. clearly, that was forgotten seeing as how tommy was practically forgotten at that table to with how quiet he was, and tommy was rarely ever quiet or still.

in a snap, both of their attention had tunnel-visioned on tommy like a dog who catches the smell of their treats. they both knew something was up with him and tommy was no doubt in higher priority than their bickering. no matter who won the fight or who had given up first, at the end of the day their concern will always fall onto tommy.

"toms? are you alright?"

"what happened? did something go wrong with your visit to ranboo?"

it takes a while for tommy to realize that those questions were directed at him, zoning out all the noise around him from the moment he stepped foot at sam's base but finally, he looks up from his plate with a very drained expression on his face which was alarmingly very far from the everyday tommy spirit.

"i saw phil today," he quietly says knowing that the short statement alone meant something not so good has happened. he knew that they knew him well, and that made him happy at least. he didn't have to make people understand his feelings and emotions for once, for once he knew people could and did understand him.

there's a quick silence, a time allotted for tommy to continue if he wanted to but when faced with silence sam questions carefully, "do you want to talk about it?" tone very cautious as he tries to analyze the boy's emotions from what he's experienced if he was even comfortable with being put on the spot like this.

it's to their great relief when tommy nods, (god knows how little he speaks of what he feels to people other than tubbo,) but is silent for a few minutes after. wilbur throws in a little comment that he could do it in the morning just for safe measure, earning him a shake of the head from the teen.

"it's stupid—" tommy glances at the look on sam's face as he said that, "okay, okay. it's not that stupid since it affected me, i get that." 

okay so maybe wilbur could appreciate sam for that. he's glad that he made sure tommy knows his feelings are valid no matter how trivial the thing that upsets him may seem. he would never say it to his face but he's silently glad for it, that he was able to do it when the teen was most likely alone and when he wasn't resurrected.

"it's just... he called ranboo 'son' in front of me— which is fine! ranboo is my friend and tubbo's friend too! and... and he deserves a family too—"

"but?" sam knew that that wilbur knew tommy the longest. he watched him handle tommy's spiraling, putting it to an immediate stop with the probable possibility that it rebuts his feelings and emotions. he's aware of it but doesn't know to a full extent, so he was grateful that wilbur was able to handle that, that he was here for tommy right now. he'll learn how to be able to handle those situations someday too but for now, he could be at ease.

"but it just made me feel weird." tommy shrugs, "tubbo told me he called him that but i don't know, it felt different hearing it for yourself, coming out of phil's mouth and hearing his voice. i mean, all i ever get from the old man is getting condescendingly called a child! not even a pat on the back or something."

both of them stay silent, (butting in only when needed,) as tommy continues with his rant and letting out what seems to have been a very troubling experience for him. tommy hasn't noticed that the aura in the room changes gradually, the bickering adults' pent-up anger now focused and exists for a very different reason.

"it's not a big deal, though! maybe... maybe i'm just not good enough— to be phil's son? i mean..." his shoulders hunch in insecurity, "or maybe— wait, where the hell are you guys going?"

wilbur and sam were now up on their feet. sam picking up both of his tridents and wilbur putting on his worn-out (but still doable,) coat. this kid who deserved a father as much as ranboo— as much as anyone else on the fucking earth— had started to think that it was now his fault that he wasn't given the same amount of attention or love and it was more than enough of a reason for them to finally do something about it.

"we'll be back, just finish your food, you got that?" wilbur says worriedly glancing at the full plate, he had always nagged at the boy to eat his food and it felt good to be able to do it again. meanwhile, sam ruffles tommy's hair, no smile on his face but there was worry in his words as he reassures him that he was more than enough for anything, still hung up on how much they insecurities he held to even think about himself like that.

they both step out of the base, sam hands wilbur one of his tridents, wilbur accepting it silently as he nods at him as if both of them knew of what thoughts ran through each other’s head at the moment. it's quiet as they set up the coordinates to their destination, expectedly they know where they were planning to go and who they were planning to meet, it's as if they were waiting for each other to break the ice.

"your father doesn't deserve him." sam blurts out, he doesn't know why he's trying to start a conversation now of all times, or why he's bringing this up but seeing as how shitty phil was to tommy only made him assume the same for wilbur, "nor did he deserve you, both of you never deserved that treatment. so i don't want you thinking you're turning into a copy of him or something because you come to the construction site every day while he's out of sight. the last thing tommy need is having the most important person in his family to think of himself as a lost cause too."

wilbur didn't know where that came from, he assumes neither did sam with the expression on his face, and it's shocking to get the exact reassurance he didn't even know he needed from the person he least expected. to hear it coming from someone that they actually believed that he could at least try to change, that he wasn't just a sad replica of his father, that was enough for him. that one person, no matter who, still had hope in his change, in his redemption.

"thank you,"

"it's not a big deal. i just thought i need to tell you, y'know because of where we're going."

it was hard to admit but he needed to say it, "not just for what you just said but for being there for tommy. when i certainly wasn't."

"so you're basically thanking me for being your replacement?" it was suppose to sound like a joke but wilbur could hear the undertones in what he had just said.

"you're fucking dumb sometimes, aren't you?"

"what?"

"the materials you asked him to gather were easy. tubbo offered him all the materials needed for the hotel but he refused. he could've easily threatened you or payed you more to do the work for him, know why he didn't?" he continues at sam's silence, "it's harder for him to admit it but he's afraid that when you finish it up quicker and the contract ends you'll be gone from his life. no one puts an agreement for friendship in a business contract, sam."

"he doesn't just bond with you over a paper agreement, he's actually scared of losing you." sam's breath hitches at that imagining what would've happened if he wasn't there for him, "he faced his fear to face me because he need to confide in me, he needed reassurance from me that you weren't like how i was, that it wasn't going to end the same way as before."  
  
  
"it won't."  
  


"i know."

sam could only nod quietly, looking at the entrance of his base that is now shut tight, keeping the boy behind it safe.

"he deserves to heal, to make mistakes, to be a child." that's all that sam wanted people to understand.

"i know." and wilbur was one person of the few people that did.

sure, you could tell them that tommy is a reckless teenager who has and will get multiple targets on his back. he'll make mistakes that he doesn't realize he's made, you could list all his faults or compare him to the cruelty that other people show him and try to prove that he was worse but it will never change the fact that tommy should be no different. he should be able to be reckless and have fun with no targets on his back just like other people do. he should be allowed to make mistakes that he can learn from. he deserves compliments and pats on the back for the things he's done well and he deserves better than to continuously need to be taught lessons after lessons and compared to the people who've cost him the greatest trauma.

that's the one thing they've always known, is that tommy deserves none if the treatment he's given. 

wilbur and sam are aware of this silent competition they have over the kid and there’s no telling when they will stop going above and beyond to make the boy happier than the other does. one thing that they will always agree on though, is that they have that one common goal, a goal that requires them to set aside their pride.

that was making sure the fuckers that dared to even lay a finger on the boy would not get away with it so lightly anymore.

(and oh boy, phil doesn't realize it but he really had fucked up now.)

**Author's Note:**

> let's just say after that day people who approach tommy make a sharp turn around when they see the two tall figures behind him (bickering over who gets to carry the supplies tommy gathers for his hotel).


End file.
